Family
by X-Cubed
Summary: They say you can't choose your family. But sometimes...sometimes you can. A series of drabbles on Naruto and his family.
1. The Third Hokage

**Disclaimer:** We do not own Naruto

**Summary:** A series of drabbles on Naruto finding his family, sometimes in the oddest places.

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Naruto had never known a _family_. He knew he must have had a family at some point, at least a mother and father. Everyone had to have those, that was simple biology. But he always figured that since he never knew his parents, they really couldn't be considered family. So he became a family of one. He really had no choice since he thought that everyone in the village hated him. And most of the villagers did. He learned from an early age to be self sufficient. Nannies looked after him until the age of five, nannies that looked at him with hatred and fear in their eyes for reasons he couldn't then understand. He never considered them family.

At the age of five, the Third Hokage came to tell him that he would be moved into his own apartment, alone. Naruto just nodded. He wanted to cry but he wouldn't. He didn't want the Hokage to see him as weak. He'd never let anyone see him as weak.

At ten, he received his first birthday gift, a frog wallet half full of coins from the Third. He found it on his table when he woke up that morning.

He saw the Hokage many times in his life and while he always respected him, Naruto didn't realize until the Third's funeral how much he cared about the old geezer, how much he loved him, loved him like a grandfather.


	2. Iruka

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

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When Naruto entered the Academy, he recognized Iruka. He was the only villager that smiled at Naruto instead of glaring. Iruka was always nice to him, always took him out for ramen and listened to his troubles. Iruka always worried about him, even when Naruto became old and wise enough to worry about himself. Naruto regretted every moment that he'd never told Iruka how much he'd meant to him. The day he stood by his grave was the first time he'd ever called Iruka what he truly was, a father to him.


	3. Sakura

When Naruto was assigned to Team Seven, he never thought they'd be able to function as a unit

When Naruto was assigned to Team Seven, he never thought they'd be able to function as a unit. He highly doubted that they would make it past their first mission. He'd never expected them to make it this far. But they had made it.

He was elated and disappointed to be assigned to a team with Sakura. He adored Sakura; he thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. But he'd seriously doubted her strength as a ninja. She wasn't disciplined enough in his mind to be a ninja. He didn't want to go on missions with her. He'd be much to worried about her and be much too busy protecting her to complete the missions. But it turned out that they worked together beautifully. She'd ended up proving her strength, intelligence, and worth as a kunoichi many times during their time together.

They loved each other and cared deeply for each other. It wasn't the passionately intense love Naruto had once harbored for her. It was a different kind of love, one that warmed him up inside, one that was better in some unknowable way. She might not have been born into his family, but she was his family. They were as close as any brother and sister could be. And that's what she was, his sister. A sister born of deep bonds, shared pain, and deadly battles fought beside each other.


	4. Sasuke

Naruto had at first hated Sasuke. He was arrogant and annoying. Naruto had never imagined that he would want to get to know the haughty Uchiha, and the thought that he'd actually like Sasuke would have been ridiculous. But a friendship had grown, hesitantly at first, a little bit every day. They'd protected each other, cared for each other, been each others best friend and rival. They had been enemies, acquaintances, comrades, and friends; through it all though, they had been brothers.

People never could understand why Naruto fought so hard and so long to bring back Sasuke after the latter's defection. It was because they were brothers, brothers born of conflict, shared frustrations and the knowledge of great sadness, and brothers didn't give up on each other. Naruto couldn't give up on Sasuke, not even at the end. He still blamed himself for everything. He firmly believed that he had failed Sasuke. He hadn't been a good enough friend, a good enough brother. He hadn't understood enough, been there enough, and done enough. He'd let Sasuke leave, watched him throw his life away. The moment he'd killed Sasuke, he had killed the most integral part of himself. Naruto hadn't ended Sasuke's life because of the threat the Uchiha posed to Konoha, because of the way he'd treated Sakura, for running out on him and the rest of Team Seven. Naruto had killed Sasuke out of compassion; he'd made it quick and painless for Sasuke. Because most of all brothers did what they could to end each other's suffering.


	5. Kakashi

Naruto was always wary of Kakashi. He was just so mysterious and guarded and…odd. Kakashi was everything that Naruto wasn't and couldn't imagine being all wrapped up in a tall, silver haired package. While Kakashi cared about all of Team Seven, it didn't take an idiot to see who his real favorite was. Sakura and Naruto weren't brain addled, despite the many hits to the head during training. They knew Kakashi preferred Sasuke.

When Sasuke defected, Kakashi was crushed, emotionally broken. He didn't show it, he tried to stay strong for the rest of his team, but anybody who knew him knew how he was feeling. When their first attempt to retrieve Sasuke didn't work, Naruto tried to ease Kakashi's pain. He attempted to be both Sasuke and Naruto to his sensei, and was disappointed and upset when he couldn't be.

It took a few years, but Naruto eventually realized that Sasuke and Kakashi had what Iruka and he had-a father and son bond, and that Naruto couldn't fill that bond and really he'd never wanted to. What Naruto and Kakashi had was very different and much more suited to them. Kakashi was like that cool young uncle every one had, the one who gave you your first girlie magazine, took you drinking for the first time, and subsequently bailed you out of jail when you did something stupid. Naruto remembered with a wry chuckle that Kakashi had in fact done all three for him. In fact, Naruto still remained close to Kakashi, meeting up with him every Friday morning for training or sparring practice and every Saturday night for a couple of drinks.


	6. Jiraiya

**Disclaimer: **We do not own Naruto, blah blah blah

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When Naruto first met Jiraiya, the blonde knew immediately that somehow the old perverted writer was much more than he seemed

When Naruto first met Jiraiya, the blonde knew immediately that somehow the old perverted writer was much more than he seemed. It wasn't even that Jiraiya was one of the Three Sannin, though that had excited Naruto to no end. No, the two had shared a spiritual connection that neither had ever quite known before. Naruto thought sadly that he would never know that kind of bond again. They were much more than teacher and student, though that was always the way the relationship went. Naruto was always Jiraiya's student. He learnt the art of battle, of quick precise movements and the importance of a cool detached mind. He'd learned about girls, about how you shouldn't treat them and what not to say. He'd learned many lessons about life and how it wasn't always fair. But most of all, Jiraiya taught him countless lessons about himself, about who he was inside. Jiraiya had taught him to be more than just Naruto, the loud mouthed blonde shinobi from the Leaf.

Jiraiya was always accessible when Naruto needed anything. Naruto had learned that it was safe to go to his master with problems and questions that he just couldn't talk to Iruka or Team Seven about. Jiraiya never judged him, but accepted him for whom and what he was. The day that Naruto found out that Jiraiya was his godfather, the only legal family he had left, Naruto wasn't surprised. He had somehow known all along. Their time together had been cut tragically short, but Naruto knew that someday he would see Jiraiya again, in some far off place that only heroes went. Jiraiya would be sitting at a ramen stand, having a drink, eyeing the women, and just waiting for him to take the empty seat next to him.


	7. Tsunade

A kiss, a necklace, and the Hokage name were the presents that Tsunade had left Naruto

A kiss, a necklace, and the Hokage name were the presents that Tsunade had left Naruto. But those were only material things. Tsunade had left him with a heart that knew how to care for countless people and still have room left for another person. She had taught him that true strength didn't come from being fearless but from facing your fears head on. She had shown him that emotions could never cripple someone, but could only serve to make them stronger. Granny Tsunade, that was his nick-name for her. It fit, for his grandmother she was, up until her very last breath.


	8. Shizune

Shizune was Naruto's aunt, the bonded daughter of his Granny Tsunade

Shizune was Naruto's aunt, the bonded daughter of his Granny Tsunade. She was always around to make sure Naruto was okay. She worried about him, though she would never admit it. She would stop him when she saw him, just to say hello and see how he was. This, more often than not, led to her dragging him off for a meal, saying that he had to eat more than ramen. She assigned lower class ninjas the mission of keeping him in bed when he'd over train. She had publicly supported him in his dream of Hokage. They truly cared for each other and attempted to make each others lives as easy and comfortable as possible.


	9. Asuma

Asuma and Naruto had never been close

Asuma and Naruto had never been close. But Asuma had been kind to him and that was all Naruto had needed. He was truly saddened by Asuma's death and made his way every so often to Asuma's grave site. For Asuma was a part of Naruto's family, even past the veil of death.


	10. Shikamaru

Shikamaru had been a friend and trusted comrade to Naruto for as long the latter could remember

Shikamaru had been a friend and trusted comrade to Naruto for as long the latter could remember. Naruto felt nothing but respect and affection for the lazy shinobi. He was like a cousin to Naruto. They shared a bond, one that wasn't as close as brotherhood, but one that was close and enjoyable nonetheless. Naruto trusted Shikamaru with his life, and knew this feeling was reciprocated. This had been proven on many occasions, many life or death situations, many fearsome moments after they'd invoked one of the kunoichi's fury.

The two might not share everything with each other, but they really didn't have to. They shared enough to know each other and like each other. They rarely fought because no tension or sense of sibling rivalry existed between the two. They were just too favorite cousins enjoying each others company.


	11. Choji

Choji, likewise, felt like family to Naruto

Choji, likewise, felt like family to Naruto. He wasn't close family, but they'd been through too much together to not be family. They'd gone various times to rescue Sasuke, with Choji taking various damages each time. The scars on Choji's body reminded Naruto of the lengths family would go to for one another. Choji never honestly never given a damn about Sasuke, but he went on every single retrieval mission because he did give a damn about Naruto.

The two boys didn't always get along all the time; they were much too different to. Choji was kind, calm, and rather shy. Naruto was his polar opposite, all full of fire, passion, and energy. Their relationship was tumultuous to say the least, filled with ups and downs, with teasing and yelling, with trust and loyalty. A relationship that you could find in any home.


	12. Ino

Ino was Sakura's sister, a sister born from tears and laughter and turmoil

Ino was Sakura's sister, a sister born from tears and laughter and turmoil. Ino was important to Sakura. Sakura was important to Naruto. So Naruto decided that Ino should be important to him as well. He decided to befriend Ino, and looking back, he was glad he did. Because Ino had turned out to be much more than a friend, she'd turned out to be a sister to him. Not like Sakura. No, Sakura was the younger sister, the one he worried about and protected. The one he wouldn't fight with because she was just so sweet and young and pure.

Ino was the proverbial older sister. The sister who was a little bratty sometime, who you fought with but somehow admired, the one who had your back no matter what. Naruto remembered the first time Ino had stuck up for him. When he was 16, some non-shinobi village brats had started taunting him. They had viewed him as nothing more than the _Kyubi_ _container_, a danger to the village. Ino had arrived in time to hear some of the more _colorful_ things they were saying to him. Her fury was a sight to behold, both dreadful and awe inspiring. Naruto had honestly never believed a woman could swear like that. She'd thrown insults at the punks that Naruto himself would be too bashful to say or imagine. Yes, Ino was his sister, his friend, his protector.


	13. Gai

Gai scared the hell out of Naruto half the time

Gai scared the hell out of Naruto half the time. He and Lee were two of a kind: energetic, caring, trusting, determined, emotional, loyal, charmingly naïve, and completely outrageous. Naruto had never met anyone like them. They drove him crazy, but they constantly amused him too.

Gai was the crazy uncle of this odd and dysfunctional family. The one who could be counted on to make a scene at any occasion. Naruto still recalled the half hour long toast at his wedding. Guy had burst into sobs halfway through, and most of what he had said was indistinguishable. But what was understandable had touched Naruto to the soul.

Guy and Naruto were a lot alike in the fact that both of them had had the luck to choose their families, and both would die for them, with out hesitation or regrets.


	14. Lee

Lee was exactly like Gai

Lee was exactly like Gai. In fact, anybody who didn't know them well mistook them for father and son all the time. And they were in a way, Naruto though. Lee spent more time with Gai then he spent with his birth parents. When Lee had a problem he went to Gai, not his parents.

Lee, Konoha's Green Beast. Naruto never called him that. It just didn't fit. Lee wasn't a beast. He was a respectful and proud person, even in the heat of battle. He was so full of life, of hope, and of faith. No, Lee wasn't Konoha's Green Beast; he was Konoha's Light, its hope. Naruto had been told many times that he had the power to change people, to inspire people. But Naruto knew that Lee had that power more than anyone else. Lee could inspire people, for he had inspired Naruto many times. Lee was a true inspiration. He was light, joy, everything good and pure. Naruto was proud to call him family.


	15. Tenten

Tenten was every bit the proud kunoichi

Tenten was every bit the proud kunoichi. She was the one that the female Genin looked up to, the one they aspired to be like. She was strong, fearless, the ultimate warrior princess. Not many people thought of her as a woman, just a warrior. But those that she let into her carefully guarded inner world knew that this was just the way she wanted it. She wanted people to see her as nothing more than a warrior. She didn't want people to think of her as a woman because women were seen as weak. And, Naruto thought with a smirk, Tenten was anything but weak.

She'd once told Naruto that her dream was to prove to everyone that women weren't the weaker sex. So Naruto had helped her try to accomplish this dream. When he had been appointed as Hokage, his first official duty was to put Tenten in charge of the ANBU. She was the first female ANBU director, and Naruto was never disappointed in her.

But it was when she was in between missions that Naruto most appreciated her. That was when she allowed herself to be Tenten-the-woman instead of Tenten-the warrior. She'd hover over her boys, patching up their ripped clothes, making sure they were eating enough, forcing them out of the rain. She'd cook enormous meals for everyone, and they'd all gather at her and Choji's house for a relaxing evening. Naruto often got lectured for being late for these dinners; Tenten insisted he worked much too hard. But Naruto didn't mind these lectures because he was still her boy. For Tenten was their Wendy, and they were her Lost Boys.


	16. Neji

Neji was actually, technically, Naruto's family

Neji was actually, technically, Naruto's family. Naruto had married into the Hyuuga clan three years ago, much to Hiashi's displeasure. Neji had always seemed cold and unfeeling to Naruto, but over time Naruto had begun to see him for what he was; quiet, focused, and utterly unsure of how to act around people. It had taken Ino's intense outlook on things to bring out Neji's inner fire. Naruto appreciated Neji's grounded outlook and calming demeanor. Neji might have been born Hinata's cousin, but he had ended up being more of a brother to her through the years. And Naruto addressed him as and felt that Neji was his brother-in-law, despite how blood flowed or what family lineage decreed.


	17. Kiba

Kiba was Naruto all over again

Kiba was Naruto all over again. They even looked similar; both had the same wildness and charm to them. They acted the same; both were impulsive bordering on reckless. Both were committed to a dream, Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage, Kiba's dream of taking over the Inuzuka clan and raising them up to the level of respect in Konoha that the Hyuuga's have. Both were faithful to their teams and friends. Both were outspoken, bordering on brash and tactless. Having Kiba around, Naruto thought, was like having an evil twin. Or maybe it was like having the good twin around. The roles of good twin and evil twin shifted every day.


	18. Shino

Shino had always been a mystery to…well, just about everyone

Shino had always been a mystery to…well, just about everyone. He kept almost his whole body covered and hardly ever spoke. He'd been that way since Naruto had first met him. The two had never been particularly close as children, and even to this day the two didn't call each other friends. No, they weren't friends; they were comrades, brothers of the blood. Naruto remembered with vivid clarity the last mission he had went on with Shino. It was when they were seventeen, the last Sasuke retrieval mission they had ever gone on. Naruto had been cornered by one of the members of Sasuke's Team Hebi, Juugo. Juugo had nearly killed Naruto; he hadn't even been able to move. Shino had come to his aid. Shino had set his bugs on Juugo.

The fight had been spectacular, one that would go down in Konoha's history. During the fight, Shino's arm had been broker. This was about the time Naruto had lost all consciousness. He had awaked to find Sakura healing him. It had turned out that Shino had carried him, one-armed, the three miles to where Sakura was and had insisted she heal Naruto before him. Yes, Shino was family; probably the one Naruto owed the most to.


	19. Hinata

Naruto's thought wandered to his blushing bride. She'd long ago gotten over her stuttering, but she still blushed so easily. Sakura had set them up on their first date when Naruto was seventeen. The date hadn't gone all that well to be honest. Hinata's stuttering and blushing had somewhat diminished the flow of conversation and she'd run out of the ramen stand before she'd finished her bowl.

It was when Hiashi had stepped down from Head of the Hyuuga Clan, passing it onto Hanabi at the innocent age of 14 that Hinata had seemed to gain any confidence. Naruto figured that it might have to do with the expectations and critiques being taken off her shoulders. She'd always been looked down on in the Hyuuga Clan. She'd been considered weak and pathetic. By the time that Hanabi became Head, nobody considered Hinata weak anymore. But it was only after the Head was declared that Hinata's own self doubts and weaknesses seemed to dissipate. They didn't disappear. No, some of them were still present to this day, hiding away in the back of her mind, even despite all of Naruto's love and help.

After the Head was declared, Hinata seemed to speak her mind more. She opened up more often, trained harder, and threw her all into just living life. Naruto asked her out more and more often, and not just because Ino and Sakura told him to.

Naruto smiled fondly, remembering their first kiss. He'd been caught in a downpour on his way home from an ANBU mission and had seen her training in the rain. He'd sat down under a tree and watched her for hours until she was finished. He watched the way she moved, memorized the ebb and flow of her body. He loved the elegant, small, distinguished movements of her body, a small flick of the wrist, the way she gently turned on the balls of her feet to reach out and strike. He'd asked to walk her home and kissed her goodbye on her doorstep, with rain running down their faces. They'd both been sick for weeks afterwards.

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**Author's Note: **Thank you to everyone who read this, who stuck with the story until the end, and thank you especially to all the nice people who reviewed. We love you all. If you liked this story, please know that we'll be doing another little one-shot/drabble series about Naruto and Gaara here soon. Once again, much love to you all.


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